A Midsummer Morn's Nightmare
by WordNerb93
Summary: Isabella's day goes sour after she is zapped by Doof's Nightmare-Inator. Now she's trapped in a dream that would be fitting of Shakespeare. Rated T for violence, slight blood, and suicide. Eventual Phinbella. Now with two endings!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is going to be my first story sent out in chapters (not the first I meant to be in chapters, but...).The idea for this story came to me after my English class finished reading Hamlet.  
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**I do not own Phineas and Ferb.**

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><p>It was another perfect summer day in Danville. The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and two stepbrothers were about to seize the day.<p>

At least, that was the plan. Phineas, however, had had trouble sleeping last night, due to some recurring nightmare, and was having trouble staying awake.

"You know Ferb," he said with a yawn, "I wish I had something that could…"

He yawned again.

Ferb, who had slept soundly, was getting tired just listening to him. They were never going to seize the day if Phineas was on the verge of sleeping it away.

A small light bulb flashed in his head. He turned to tell Phineas his idea, but his stepbrother had finally lost the battle against his exhaustion.

With a small grin, Ferb quietly walked to the garage for his tools. As he reached for the toolbox, he realized something needed to be said. "Hey, where's Perry?"

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><p>Perry was sleeping on the couch when it flipped open and threw him into a tube.<p>

Suddenly wide awake, Perry made a perfect landing as it deposited him in his lair. He grabbed his hat off its stand and placed it on his head as he sat in front of the large monitor the dominated one wall.

The monitor flickered on to show Carl.

"Uh, hello Agent P. Monogram is taking today off, after he was kept here until early this morning, so I'm filling in for the day."

Perry nodded, while at the same time trying to remember the last time Monogram had taken a day off.

"Anyway, Doofenshmirtz has ordered a large ray gun, a book on the subconscious and unconscious mind, a few hundred gallons of milk, and a handheld heat ray. That sounds like an evil combination. So, do what you do best."

Perry saluted (Carl may only be an unpaid intern, but he was his briefer for the day) and took off.

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><p>"Hey Phineas! Whatcha…" Isabella trailed off as she realized two things. First, Phineas was alone in the backyard and Ferb was nowhere to be seen. Second, Phineas was fast asleep.<p>

She moved closer and sat down next to him. She smiled as she thought of how cute he looked at this moment.

An idea popped into her head. It was a little risky since she didn't know how deeply asleep Phineas was or when Ferb would return, but how many chances like this came along?

She glanced about to see if anyone was around. When she was satisfied that the coast was clear, she leaned over and kissed Phineas on the forehead.

She sighed dreamily as she straightened up. It may not have been a kiss from Phineas, but it was the next best thing.

She started to drift into Phineasland when a large crash sounded from the garage.

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><p>Perry grabbed the key Doof had given him and unlocked the door.<p>

"Oh, hello Perry the Platypus." Doofenshmirtz smiled at his nemesis from the couch. "Thank you for using the key I gave you. If you could just wipe your feet…"

Perry rolled his eyes, but he moved to oblige. As he did, he felt something click under his heel. Before he knew it, he was trapped in a giant snow globe!

"Yeah, sorry about using the 'wipe your feet' thing again, I was in a hurry," Doof replied as he walked over to the snowglobe. "Anyway, I bet you're wondering what I'm doing today. Ahem, Flashback!"

_(A scene of Heinz in his bed, tossing and turning appears)_

_It all started last week. I had a terrible nightmare, but I couldn't remember what it was. All I knew was that it scared me half to death. _

_I barely slept that night, but (a scene of Heinz at the table with 12 cups of steaming coffee appears) I figured that a couple extra cups of coffee could pull me through until the next night. _

_(The scene switches to one of Heinz tossing and turning again) Unfortunately, I had another nightmare the next night. (A scene of Heinz drifting off while working with an explosive device appears) I was exhausted and couldn't think. (He nods off and the device blows up in his face) _

_Luckily that was the last nightmare I had. But that's not the point! The point is that two nights of nightmares scared me half to death and I couldn't sleep either night. _

_(The scene of Heinz ranting to Perry returns)_

"And so, Perry the Platypus, I figure that if two nightmares caused me so much trouble, think how much more trouble could be caused by endless nightmares!" He whipped a white sheet off his latest creation.

"Behold! The Nightmare-Inator! With this, I will put everyone in the Tri-State Area into a deep sleep filled with their deepest, darkest fears! By using the properties of warm milk, they will fall into this horrible sleep, never to wake up. But if they somehow do, they'll be too terrified to ever sleep again, making them just as helpless! With everyone defeated, I will finally take over the Tri-State Area!"

He let out a mad cackle and began warming up the machine (literally, as the milk needed to be warmed up).

Perry began to test the glass of the snow globe for weaknesses, hoping to get out before Doofenshmirtz had a chance to fire the machine.

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><p><strong>So, what was that crash? Will Doofenshmirtz finally win? Proceed to the next chapter to find out...<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright, here's where the real plot comes out. It gets a little dark from here... **

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><p>Ferb walked out of the garage with the new device. He had a small bruise where the toolbox had hit him after it slipped, but it wasn't that bad. When he got to the backyard, he wasn't surprised to find Isabella sitting under the tree next to Phineas.<p>

"Hey, Ferb. What was that crash?"

Ferb pointed at the small bruise he had acquired.

"You okay?"

He nodded, then he pointed his device as Phineas. He turned it on and *ZAP*. A couple seconds later, Phineas yawned, stretched, and woke up.

"Hey Ferb, sorry I fell asleep for so long. Oh, hi Isabella."

"Hey, Phineas. You do realize that it's only nine, right?"

Phineas looked confused until Ferb handed his device to him.

"A rest-restoring machine? You're a genius, Ferb! Now we still have time for a Big Idea!" His grin quickly became a frown, however, as he failed to come up with any ideas.

"That's funny, I can't think of anything to do. What about you, Isabella?"

Isabella struggled not to squeal. It was always amazing when he asked what she wanted to do. "Well, maybe we can use that rest-restorer to help people in the Tri-State Area who've been having a hard time sleeping."

Phineas lit up as Isabella told him the idea. "Great idea, Isabella! I know what we're gonna do today!"

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><p>"You know, Perry the Platypus, in hindsight, I should have gotten a bigger heat ray. I probably could have zapped half of Danville by now if I had."<p>

Perry, meanwhile, was removing a small hammer from inside his hat. He began to chip away at the weak spot he had found. Doof, however, didn't notice, as he was engrossed in watching his Nightmare-Inator warm up.

"Ah, it's finally ready! Witness, Perry the Platypus, as I put the Tri-State Area into its darkest sleep ever!"

Perry, however, wouldn't allow that. With a rather desperate swing of the hammer, he shattered the snow globe. Doof turned at the sound, just in time for Perry to smack him right in the face! Doof was knocked back into the Nightmare-Inator, activating the beam and the self-destruct button the Doof had (once again) placed on his device.

Perry, in his hurry to not be in the detonation radius, failed to notice the beam firing. He jumped off the balcony and opened his glider, smiling slightly to himself as he heard the familiar words, "Curse you, Perry the Platypus!" and the following explosion.

He had finished so quickly that he might be able to see what his owners were up to in person.

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><p>"Alright, I think that does it." Phineas held up the newly modified rest-restorer. It was larger and had a solar panel attached. "Let's go help out some people."<p>

Phineas, Ferb, and Isabella all began to walk out of the backyard, unaware that they were straying into the firing path of the Nightmare-Inator. When the single beam from the –Inator arrived, it was heading right for Phineas!

It was mere chance, however, that the beam was able to be reflected off of solar panels, thus saving Phineas from the horrible effects of the Nightmare-Inator.

But Chance is a cruel mistress. When the beam reflected off the solar panel, it was directed right at Isabella. And this time, there was nothing to prevent the beam from reaching its target.

With a gasp, Isabella was engulfed in a darkness that seemed to leech the color right out of her. Phineas and Ferb turned when she gasped.

"ISABELLA!" Phineas cried. Isabella's vision began to narrow.

The last thing she saw was Phineas's worried and grief-stricken face.

Then the world went black.

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><p><em>Princess Isabella awoke to a wonderful summer morn. <em>

_It was the last season of her sojourn to Italy and she did so wish to reveal the existence and depths of her feelings to her love, Prince Phineas of Denmark. He had been sent here under strange circumstances, but he had adjusted well. She had never met a man more kind, honorable, or noble, except perhaps his closest of friends, Sir Fletcher of England. _

_Yet, it was Phineas who held her heart, and she was certain that he would reciprocate her feelings if she but mentioned them. However, circumstances beyond her control always intervened, excluding those few times where she was not able to loosen her tongue. _

_And then there were the current strains between Denmark and Spain. Her father, upon the letter wherewith she mentioned the coming of Prince Phineas, had forbid her to interact with him more than circumstance required. There was rumor of war coming between the two kingdoms and the servants of both households would often be at each other's throats. _

_These thoughts fluttered about Isabella's mind as she readied herself for this day. Prince Phineas had offered to accompany her on a ride through the countryside, and for once, Sir Fletcher would be occupied with other matters. _

_This was the day, she vowed. _

_This was the day she would proclaim her love._

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><p><em>She stood out upon her doorstep, awaiting the arrival of Prince Phineas. She began to feel utmost dejection and rage. He had said to meet him at half noon. The sun was currently almost at its zenith, so he was far late. <em>

_Why would he give such a false promise? If he did not arrive before midday, she would speak to him but once more, to inform him that it would be the last! _

_Upon the formation of this vow, a messenger in the colors of Denmark arrived. _

_"Be thou the lady Isabella?" _

_"Yea, I am she." _

_"I bring thee a missive from the lord Phineas." _

_Isabella could not keep the astonishment from her face. _

_"The lord Phineas has received a grievous letter from Denmark. The sting it imparts is all the more painful as it be the news of the depths of winter. His father is dead, a dagger in his heart, and the lord Phineas requests your forgiveness. He begs of you to allow him to grieve his father and contemplate these matters." _

_Isabella placed a hand upon her lip. Her shock was almost as deep as her shame. How could she have thought ill of her love? "Of course. Tell him he has my utmost condolences and that if he should ever want for a companion of any sort, it would be an honor if he would think of me." _

_The messenger turned and left posthaste. Princess Isabella return to her chambers, to think. Her declaration of love could wait, she decided. _

_Prince Phineas would need comfort and companionship, not another emotion to tangle in the shards of a broken heart._

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><p><strong>Confused? I hope not. To clarify, Isabella is now in a nightmare. It may not be horrible yet, but it will be soon enough.<br>**


	3. Chapter 3

**Doofenshmirtz's -Inator has hit Isabella! How are Phineas and Ferb taking it?**

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><p>"Isabella! Isabella, wake up!"<p>

Phineas shook her gently, not wanting to hurt her. But Isabella not only remained unconscious, but she was still surrounded by that darkness.

"What are we going to do, Ferb? I can't wake her up!"

Ferb scratched his head. How would they wake up their friend? He glanced around, hoping something would give him an idea.

He noticed the rest-restorer on the ground, where Phineas had dropped it. Perhaps…

Ferb grabbed the device and tapped Phineas on the shoulder.

"What?" Phineas noticed the device. "That's not what it was designed for, but it's better than nothing."

He grabbed it and zapped Isabella. Nothing. He zapped her again. Still nothing. He zapped her seven times before Ferb grabbed the device from him.

"I know, I shouldn't have done that. But I can't help it! We don't even know what's wrong with her!"

Isabella muttered something, causing Phineas to whirl around hopfully. He was disappointed when he saw her flinch in her sleep. He heard, "…Phineas…sorry…ride…"

"Is she dreaming?" Phineas snapped his fingers. "Maybe if we see what she's dreaming, we can figure out a way to wake her up! Ferb, I know what else we're gonna do today!"

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><p><em>A week past, with only the occasional glimpse of Prince Phineas. Princess Isabella heard not a word more from him. She had the occasional talk with Sir Fletcher, but he had seen even less of Prince Phineas than she had. <em>

_Today, however, she had received an invitation to dine with Phineas. She hoped for the best, yet she also steeled herself for the worst. He may be over his grief, but he may also have invited her to inform her of his immediate departure. _

_Upon entering his dining hall, she immediately noticed the continence on his face. The usual cheer and optimism that she had always known were gone, replaced by pain and misery. He acknowledged her presence, only just, and they dined in silence. Isabella hesitated to break the silence, as she did not want to anger him. _

_She seemed fortunate, in this case, as, when Phineas had completed his meal, he began to speak. _

_"My lady, I thank thee for thy silence. It has helped me to gain the confidence I require to speak with thee. Thou dos't remember the missive I sent thee this past week?" _

_Isabella inclined her head in agreement. _

_"Then thou should also hear of this; the dagger that pierced my father's heart is of Spanish-make. My mother, the Queen, has't forbidden me to speak with any Spaniard in hopes that I might not share my father's fate. But I cannot accept it. As much as I respect my mother, I know that thou woulds't not harm a hair of my head." _

_Isabella nearly swooned upon his words, but managed to keep her attentions upon Phineas. _

_"However, my servants give word to my mother on my guests, so I fear we shall not be able to meet when they are about. If we do, I shall be forced to act as if I know thee not, or that I do not wish to see thee. And so I ask of thee, if thou wishest to speak or meet with me, give word unto Sir Fletcher." _

_Isabella felt her heart swell as she grasped the truth of the matter. Prince Phineas would risk the wrath of his mother to meet with her! Despite the certainty that this would set them both at further risk, she could not come to refuse him. _

_"So I shall, my lord."_

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><p>Phineas was getting quite twitchy, so he called out anxiously, "Is it done yet, Ferb?"<p>

"Phineas, asking for the fifteenth time won't help!"

Phineas was shocked at Ferb's tone. His more rational side said that he deserved it, since he had been asking from the moment Ferb had started building.

The only reason Phineas wasn't helping was that he was too worried about Isabella. He wasn't able to focus and had nearly caused the device to blow up in their faces when he had tried to help. Ferb had sent him to make sure nothing happened to Isabella and to make sure Phineas wouldn't inadvertently mess up the this machine.

Phineas looked down at Isabella for the umpteenth time. She looked fine, if you could get around the darkness the surrounded her and her grayed coloration. In fact, at this moment, she appeared to have a slight smile on her face.

She began to mumble once more. This time, however, Phineas could only pick out one word: "…Phineas…"

Why did his name come up so much in her dreams? Possibly because they were best friends, but that wouldn't explain why only his name came up.

Phineas shook his head in worry. "Is it done yet, Ferb?"

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><p><em>Prince Phineas had kept his word. When Isabella had told Sir Fletcher that she wished to be in the company of Phineas, it was not long until he returned with Prince Phineas's response. He only rarely rejected her offers, and only with the most explainable circumstances that he could not escape. <em>

_When they were together, Phineas would lose the miseries and pains that still troubled him. Only when they parted ways would his pain return. At times during their activities, it would be necessary for them to conceal themselves from the servants of their households. And yet, this would inexplicably cause them even more excitement. _

_Princess Isabella believed that Prince Phineas was coming to love her, if he did not already. Yet, neither of them revealed the depths of their feelings for each other. _

_And thus it continued for well over a fortnight._

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><p><em>Princess Isabella was returning from one such meeting with the lord Phineas when she happened upon a servant of her household. Yet, she was unable to name him, for she had never seen him before. <em>

_"Servant," she called, and the servant turned to her with a bow. _

_"My lady." _

_"I do not recall you. Tell me, what is your name?" _

_"It is Thor, my lady." _

_"It is an odd name, as it is the name of a pagan god, is it not?" _

_With another bow, the servant said, "You are correct, my lady, for my brother and I were born in the midst of Scandinavia, among the horrid Vikings. We sought good fortune and found it in the service of your father, the King of Spain. He has recently sent me to be a part of your household." _

_Isabella pondered his words. Why would her father send yet another servant to her household? "If your story be true, come with me. We shall ask the other servants of the house to see if it be true." _

_As she turned her back toward the servant, she felt a shiver run down her spine, like the eyes of some unholy demon were upon her._

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><p><strong>Yes, Phineas is freaking out. Ferb is calmer. And we see someone that could be viewed as a rival of the boys enter Isabella's nightmare.<strong>

**Man, trying to write a story using Shakespeare-like language is hard! If I mess up, please tell me!  
><strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**So, the boys are working on seeing what's wrong with Isabella, and Phineas is freaking out. Warning: this chapter takes a turn for the worst!**

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><p>"Is it done yet, Ferb?"<p>

Ferb sighed as he appeared, carrying a large device with a monitor and a few electrodes. "Yes, Phineas. After 42 times, the answer is finally yes."

Phineas was sitting beside Isabella, his hand on her forehead. "I can't help it, Ferb. I just don't want to see her hurt."

Ferb would have grinned if the situation wasn't so grim. Phineas obviously liked Isabella as more than just a friend. At least, it was obvious to Ferb. "So, here's the plan: we hook Isabella to the dream-reader, we find out what she's dreaming, figure out why she might be dreaming it, and figure out a way to snap her out of it. You ready, Phineas?"

Phineas, not moving his eyes from Isabella, nodded. Ferb placed the electrodes on Isabella's forehead. He then turned to the monitor and pushed a sequence of buttons. A film of static appeared on the screen.

"Is it working?" Phineas asked.

"Just give it a second, Phineas. The human mind is not a catalog. It will take a bit to find what we want."

Phineas sighed and continued to gaze at Isabella. She looked so peaceful at the moment, but Phineas felt like it was just the calm before the storm.

He sighed again and gently brushed a strand of hair from her face.

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><p><em>Princess Isabella awoke the next day to the clamor of the servants on the floor below. Upon her exit from her room, she called for the servants who had caused this noise to make her annoyance plain. It was her handmaid, Gretchen, who answered her call. "What is the meaning of this commotion? It has awaked me from my slumber!" <em>

_Gretchen, who was the only servant who was aware of the growing relationship between her mistress and Prince Phineas, replied anxiously, "In the dark of night, some person had an attempt on the life of lord Phineas!" _

_Isabella let out a gasp, her annoyance forgotten. "Is he wounded? Is he- he-" _

_"Calm yourself, my lady, he is without harm, but his attacker has escaped. The lord Phineas has let the word loose that the attacker was dressed in the colors of Spain!" _

_"My dreadful father must be behind this cowardly attack! He has caused enough trouble without his attempts on the love of my life. Gretchen, prepare a letter to my father. I must let him know how these attempts are interfering with my life and that he must do everything in his power to prevent it from happening again. Perchance, he may listen this time." _

_With that, she left Gretchen to prepare the letter and proceeded to make ready to inform Sir Fletcher of her wish to speak with Prince Phineas._

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><p>"Phineas, I think we're getting something."<p>

Phineas tore his gaze away from Isabella and looked at the screen. An image appeared on the monitor. It showed Isabella in a medieval-style dress speaking with a man in a suit of armor.

"Come, Sir Fletcher, there is no one in sight. We can speak in peace."

To both Phineas and Ferb's surprise, the man removed his helmet and revealed… Ferb! The stepbrothers glanced at each other, confusion plain on both their faces, before returning to the monitor.

"What is it, milady?" the medieval Ferb asked.

"I heard there was an attempt on Phineas's life. I must speak with him, both for his sake and my own."

Ferb realized what was going on, for the most part, and smiled slightly. Phineas, on the other hand, became more confused.

He said nothing as the medieval Ferb spoke; "Of course, milady. I shall tell him, posthaste. And might I advise you to use more caution, since the assassin wore the colors of your father?"

The dream Isabella nodded before she turned and left the dream Ferb. But the boys noticed something that was only just visible.

They noticed a familiar person looking down on them from a rooftop. The man let out a slight cackle before vanishing over the roof.

"So, what is this about Ferb? Why was there an Isabella speaking to another you, while dressed like they were in some Shakespearean play?"

As soon as Phineas finished, an awful idea struck Ferb. He had read Shakespeare's plays and the only ones that this could resemble did not end well for the girl. If he was right, they would need to wake Isabella up fast!

"Phineas, you're gonna have to trust me."

Phineas looked at Ferb, wondering why his stepbrother was asking to be trusted. "I always trust you Ferb."

"Then come with me."

With that, Ferb rushed to the garage, with Phineas following after only a moment's hesitation.

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><p><em>Princess Isabella waited anxiously for Prince Phineas to appear. When he finally did, she failed to restrain herself from embracing him. <em>

_"My lord, I was so worried!" _

_To her surprise, he returned her embrace. "I am fine. He was not even able to scratch me. I, however, was able to see the colors he wore. He even cursed me as he escaped. I shall never forget that voice." _

_The two parted slowly, almost reluctantly. But before either one could speak, a voice cried out: "My lady! Lady Isabella!" _

_The two concealed themselves behind the side of a building. _

_Again, the voice rang out: "My lady Isabella! I have word for you concerning the letter for your father!" _

_Prince Phineas seemed to stiffen at this cry. Isabella heard him speak in a soft voice, "I have not forgotten that voice…" _

_Once the cries faded, lord Phineas rounded on Isabella, fury in his eyes._

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><p>"Ferb, did you figure out what's wrong?"<p>

Ferb nodded as he dumped the last off the parts in the backyard. "Your comment on Shakespeare helped me figure it out. Isabella is trapped in a nightmare that mirrors Shakespeare's plays _Hamlet_ and _Romeo and Juliet_. Can you recall what happens to the lead's love interest in each?"

Phineas wasn't as familiar with Shakespeare as Ferb, but he know what happened to Juliet. "Oh no!"

"Exactly. While I don't know if it will end exactly like that, I do know that if she is locked in a dream that is at all similar, she will be scarred forever. We need to wake her up before it's too late. We need to build something like the rest-restorer, but tweak it so it wakes people up, even if they haven't rested enough."

Phineas grabbed a screwdriver, but Ferb put a hand on his arm. "I think you need to look after Isabella. Just warn me if it appears that someone is going to die. I'll get this done as fast as I can."

Phineas nodded, then rushed to Isabella's side.

As he reached her, he noticed the monitor was still on and showed a medieval Phineas.

He looked mad…

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><p>"<em>You treacherous witch!" Isabella gasped, retreating from the visage of lord Phineas. "You had me believe that you loved me! And all the while, you quietly positioned me for the dagger the slew my father!" <em>

_"My lord, I would never-" _

_"SILENCE!" _

_Isabella flinched, unable to bear the thought of her love being so mad at her. _

_"For the sake of my love, I will allow you to leave, but know this: you and your house are now my enemies. If I see but one hair on thy head, then you shall lose thy head." _

_With this, Prince Phineas stormed away. Princess Isabella fell to her knees and began to cry, unable to contain her sorrow. As she did, a shadow fell upon her. _

_"My lady?" asked the one who cast the shadow. She recognized the voice as the one who had been looking for her before lord Phineas had gone into a rage. _

_She looked up and saw it was the newest servant, Thor. "Y- you did it?" _

_"Did what, my lady?" _

_Her rage growing, Isabella stood. "You tried to kill Prince Phineas?" _

_His eyes widened, but he nodded. "Yes, yes I did, under orders from your father." _

_"I answer to him, not to you."_

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><p>Phineas saw the man, who looked a lot like that kid, Thor, admit to trying to kill the dream Phineas. But what was racing through his mind was how the dream Phineas treated Isabella.<p>

He could never treat her that way! Even though it was a nightmare, he couldn't stand to see Isabella hurt because of him. After all, she was his best friend, and had been for almost as long as he could remember. Heck, he knew her longer than he had known Ferb! He was not going to lose her, or let her have to deal with being hurt by any version of himself!

He continued to watch the screen as Isabella sent the man away, saying something about not coming back.

However, what Isabella didn't see, and Phineas did see, was the man (he decided to call him Thor, since he looked like Thor) being joined by another man that looked like Thor's brother, Thaddeus. As they began to talk, Thaddeus glanced back at Isabella's retreating form with what could only be described as an evil grin.

Phineas felt his heart shudder. "Ferb! Are you almost done? I think someone is going to die soon!" He heard Ferb's work intensify, if that was possible.

Yet, over the clatter, he heard a sob.

He looked down at the real Isabella and saw her face streaked with tears.

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><p><strong>This was probably the hardest chapter so far. As an avid believer in Phineas and Isabella, this tore me up!<strong>

**Anyway, the dream Thor is an assassin! And it looks like the dream Thaddeus is up to no good...  
><strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**This chapter right here is probably the MAIN reason this story is T. You have been warned.**

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><p><em>Princess Isabella wept upon her pillow. Why could he not see that she was not to blame? Why could he not see she loved him? <em>

_If he could not bear to see her again, she would relieve him of that burden and free herself of her aching heart in one fell blow. _

_She called for Gretchen, not bothering to wipe the tears from her face. Upon entering, Gretchen inquired, "What is the matter, my lady?" _

_"Gretchen, I have lost my last tie with this life. I want you to prepare a potion to take me into the next." _

_Gretchen gasped. "My lady! Why? You are still young and have much to live for!" _

_"Not anymore. My love was the only thing I had to live for, and now he has gathered a burning hatred for me. Now, prepare the potion." _

_Gretchen nodded, her face tinged with sorrow, and left posthaste. _

_Upon her exit, Isabella sat down and began to write. She wrote to her father, to tell him how he had caused her death as surely as if he had plunged a dagger into her beating heart. _

_She wrote to Sir Fletcher, saying farewell and requesting he take Gretchen to England, to avoid any revenge her father might take. _

_Finally, she wrote to Prince Phineas, declaring her undying love for him and asking him to forgive her in death, since her would not in life._

* * *

><p>"<em>My lady?" Gretchen entered bearing a pitcher. <em>

_"Gretchen, is that the potion?" _

_"Tis so, my lady." _

_Isabella stood and took the pitcher from her. "I want you to take this letter to Sir Fletcher. Stay with him while he reads. Once he has finished, if he accepts, do what he says." _

_Gretchen gaped as Isabella handed her a letter. "But, my lady-" _

_"GO!" _

_Gretchen fled the room, her eyes misting over. _

_Isabella gave a melancholy sigh as she poured herself a goblet of the potion. "My dearest Phineas, how I wish this was not so. But as it is, so must I end it all." _

_"Well, that would make our job much easier." _

_Isabella turned quickly, dropping the goblet to the ground. In her doorway were two men, one of which was Thor. "Why do you disturb me?" _

_Thor gave a bow that showed the depth of his mockery. "Well, milady, it appears that your father has run out of patience with his daughter. He would rather risk being revealed to not care for his progeny than to deal with the embarrassment of a daughter who fawns after an enemy to the crown!" _

_Isabella gasped. "My father wants me dead?" _

_"Well, in a manner of speaking. What he wants it for his daughter to have been killed be a Dane. It is quite lucky that the Prince Phineas is not on the best of terms with you." _

_Isabella gasped once more. She ran for the door, managing to slip between the assassins with this sudden action. _

_"Come back here, my lady!" Thor called mockingly, "You don't want to get hurt, do you?"_

* * *

><p>"FERB! HURRY!"<p>

Ferb ran over with his mostly finished device. "Who's going to die?" he asked as he returned to finishing the device.

"It's Isabella! These guys that look like Thaddeus and Thor are trying to kill her! What happens if she dies, Ferb?"

"Phineas, I don't know, but as I said, a nightmare this intense could cause a lot of problems. The real issue will be if she has the same nightmare over and over. That will cause emotional scarring at the least."

Phineas looked back down at Isabella. She was now tossing fitfully and whimpering. He gently placed a hand on her forehead. "Please be alright, Isabella," he whispered.

"What was that, Phineas?"

"Nothing Ferb. It was nothing." He sighed, unsure why he didn't tell Ferb what was going on in his mind.

He knew that if any of his other friends was in this postion, he wouldn't be this worried. He probably would be if Ferb was, but this felt different. He had never felt this scared, not even when he was sliding off that bridge when they were helping Candace get that disc from the robot.

He knew that if he could switch places with Isabella, he would do so in an instant.

But he still didn't know why.

* * *

><p><em>Princess Isabella ran as fast as she could, yet she was unable to lose her pursuers. She was so desperate to escape that she failed to notice the household she was approaching. <em>

_The owner of the house, however, noticed her. Prince Phineas was beside himself with rage. He was about to set upon her, to end this torment, when her heard one of her pursuers. _

_"That's right, run toward the Danes. That will make it so much easier to blame it on Prince Phineas. After all, your father would never allow a fellow Spaniard to kill you!" _

_The Prince's scowl deepened. He rushed forward, his blade raised. _

_Isabella looked ahead and saw Phineas running toward her. She screamed and raised her hands pitifully to block his attack. _

_But it never came. _

_The Prince rushed by her and set upon her pursuers. With one swoop, he decapitated Thor. _

_As he turned to deal with Thaddeus, the assassin withdrew a tube. As the Prince attacked him, his cheeks puffed and a small dart wedged itself into the Prince's neck. _

_Instantly, Phineas fell, his sword falling from his hand. _

_Isabella rushed to his side as Thaddeus laughed. _

_"I guess, Princess, it will be much easier to tell this tale. You were set upon by the Prince. My brother and I found you and attempted to aide you, but we were too late. My brother fell, but I was able to kill the Prince. Your father should be very pleased." _

_He laughed once more, but it died as a blade appeared through his heart. The triumph still on his face, he slid off the blade to the ground, dead. Sir Fletcher dropped the bloodied sword and ran to Isabella's side. _

_He took one look at Phineas and shook his head._

* * *

><p><strong>Here it is, the big CLIFFHANGER! What's going to happen to Isabella? Will she remain in the nightmare and watch her love die? Will the boys wake her up in time?<strong>

**And where's Perry? I'll make sure to put him in the next chapter.**

**I haven't said this yet, so I will now: Please review!  
><strong>


	6. Chapter 6

**Yep, this one is dark. I tried to keep Shakespeare-esque language, as that seems to be very much appreciated. And maybe you'll see where I'm going with how Phineas feels...**

**Now, on with the story!**

* * *

><p>"Phineas, what happened?"<p>

Phineas was staring at the screen. If this was Isabella's nightmare, then she should be fine, right? After all, she was still okay, so it couldn't be that bad.

He turned from the screen to look at Isabella. Was it his imagination, or was the darkness around her growing deeper?

"Phineas?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Apparently, I was poisoned trying to save Isabella."

A thud comes from behind the machine, along with some words that Phineas was pretty sure they weren't allowed to say. "This is bad, this is very bad." A slamming sound followed Ferb's words.

"Why, Ferb? After all, Isabella is alright."

Ferb came around the machine and began attaching the few disconnected parts. "No, it isn't. I never said that it had to be Isabella who died to cause the scarring."

Glancing at his stepbrother, Ferb was not surprised to see confusion written all over his face. "Think about it this way, Phineas. What about the people in the dream? Haven't they all been very similar to their real counterpart?"

"For the most part."

"Then Isabella herself wouldn't deviate from that model. And in this dream, how does she feel about you?"

It took about two seconds for realization to dawn on his stepbrother's face. "You mean she's really in love with me?"

* * *

><p>"Sorry you had to come back to the lair, first, Agent P. Major Monogram wanted to have you to record how much of a problem I was."<p>

Perry shook his head, chattering as he did. He had hoped to see his owners' invention in person today, but with all this paperwork, he was certain it was gone by now. He scratched in the last signature and grabbed the stack of papers. As he placed them in the mailing basket, a sharp beeping sound came over the monitor.

"That's odd," Carl said, glancing at something off-screen. "It looks like Doofenshmirtz is calling."

Perry pulled a lever in front of the monitor and a picture of Doof appeared. "Hello, Perry the Platypus. I was just calling you to tell you that I'm actually glad you stopped this –Inator."

Perry's bill dropped. Doof was glad? "Yeah, apparently, my Nightmare-Inator would cause people to dream of their deepest, darkest fears. What I didn't find out until about five minutes ago is that it would either scare them to death, or make them give up on living. And who wants to rule a Tri-State Area full of dead people."

Doof shuddered at the thought, as did Perry. "Anyway, I'll have a better scheme tomorrow. See you then, Perry the Platypus!"

Carl's picture replaced Doof's. "Wow. An –Inator even Doofenshmirtz didn't want. It's a good thing no one was hit by it!"

* * *

><p>Phineas couldn't believe it. Isabella was in love with him!<p>

At first, he attempted to find proof that she wasn't among the memories of her. What he found, however, was numerous ignored hints and slipups that proved how she felt. And that was just last week!

In fact, the farther he thought back, the more horrified he felt that he hadn't even gotten suspicious about her crush. If she really felt that way about him…

He glanced at the monitor, seeing the dream Isabella cradling the head of dream Phineas, her tears running like a river. He glanced at the real Isabella. He saw her crying just as much, but she was curling into a fetal position. In fact, her sobs seemed to be diminishing in strength, the darkness was definitely deepening, and she seemed to be growing paler.

"Phineas, are you okay?"

Ferb's voice broke the spell that kept Phineas from action. "Ferb! I think Isabella is dying!"

Ferb glanced at the screen. "No, I mean the real Isabella!"

Ferb's eyes grew wide as he raced to his brother's side. Ferb checked her pulse. "It's getting weaker," he confirmed.

Phineas felt his panic return, but something else came with it: determination. "Ferb, we're gonna save Isabella!"

* * *

><p>Perry checked the exit. There was no one nearby. Then again, unless Candace had come home from Stacy's early, no should be around but Phineas and Ferb. And, of course, any of their friends who were here to help with their Big Idea.<p>

Perry jumped out of the tunnel by the side of the house and hid his fedora. He had just gone into his mindless pet mode when he heard Phineas exclaim, "Ferb, we're gonna save Isabella!"

Perry hurried around the corner, dreading what he was about to see.

It was almost worse than he had feared.

Isabella was engulfed in a thickening shroud of darkness. Phineas and Ferb appeared to be creating a machine to help her. Then Perry noticed the screen. It showed what had to be Isabella's dream. Or, to be more accurate, her nightmare. She was holding Phineas, who appeared to be dead.

With a start, Perry realized that Doof's –Inator had hit Isabella. He bounded over and chattered loudly.

Phineas didn't even spare a glance, but Ferb looked at him and said, "There you are, Perry. Can you tell us if Isabella's dream starts to fade? That's the only way we'll know she's going."

Perry chattered, letting Ferb know he'd do his part. After all, if he had been faster, Isabella wouldn't be in this mess.

* * *

><p><em>Isabella cried as she held the head of her love. He was gone now. He would never return to her. <em>

_At first, Sir Fletcher was there, attempting to comfort her. But after a time, he disappeared, leaving Isabella with Phineas. _

_She felt as though she would never be whole again, that her heart would forever be torn in two. Then, another unspeakable horror. The body of her love began to vanish from her grasp! "No! Even if you cans't not be with me in life, do not forsake me in death!" _

_Yet, his body continued to lessen in substance. Despite her pleas, the body of Phineas vanished, leaving Isabella alone in the cold, cruel world. What was left of her heart was shattered and drifted, like so much dust in the wind. Nothing remained of her love, like he had never existed. She would never feel his lips upon hers, his gentle touch upon her cheek. She would not even have the slightest solace of knowing where his body lay. _

_She could not fathom how she could survive in this world when so much had been taken from her. _

_Then, she saw it. _

_It lay there, where it had been dropped, insignificant until now. She hesitated, as this was not the way she had wished it and was frightened. But, as the sorrow in the tattered place that had once been her heart pulled at her, she reached forth and grasped it. _

_"Phineas," she whispered, hope creeping into her voice, "we shall meet soon." _

_With those last words, she plunged Sir Fletcher's sword where she had once held Phineas._

* * *

><p><strong>There you have it. Isabella has mentally commited suicide (another reason for the T rating).<strong>

**Now, I know I'm going to write a good ending, but earlier today, I began to wonder if I should have an alternate ending. One that is more Shakespearean. **

**Please review and let me know if I should do that!  
><strong>


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Finally got the happy ending up. I hope it doesn't ruin it for anybody. If it does, sorry...**

* * *

><p>Perry watched the screen with an intensity he usually reserved for his missions. Like everyone else in Danville, he knew of Isabella's crush. He was certain that she would end up being Isabella Flynn one day. That is, if she survived the effects of the Nightmare-Inator. With the boys on the job, he told himself, she would be fine.<p>

He focused on the screen. His gaze turned to one of horror as he watched Isabella impale herself on a sword. That's when what remained of the scene began to fade. With alarm, he chattered as loudly as he could.

Phineas instantly was at Isabella's side. "Is she-?"

Perry chattered again, hoping the boys had the machine complete.

"Ferb, is it done? Isabella is fading, fast!"

Ferb attached a covering to the machine as he answered: "It's finished. But I don't know if it will work. We've never done anything like this before and I was going to run some tests before-"

"Ferb, we don't have time for tests!"

"I KNOW!" Phineas hesitated and Ferb sighed. "Sorry bro. I'm worried about her to. She's my friend, too, remember?"

Phineas nodded. With an unspoken message, the two brothers moved the machine closer to Isabella and hooked her up.

"Ready, Phineas?" Phineas nodded again and Ferb pulled the switch.

* * *

><p>Isabella felt her life leaving her through the hole that her heart had left behind. Everything faded to black. She could hear, not see, her life flying by her. "Hey Phineas!" "Thanks, Isabella!" "I reckon herding cattle ain't for city folk." "You realize there's an 'M' in 'Time Machine?'" "You had me at our grandchildren…" "Don't be silly, Isabella! I took into account your cuteness…" "I need a new pencil…" "Isabella, you're the best!"<p>

More and more voices flashed in and out of her mind, but one remained; Phineas. And now he was gone. She would never again gaze into those stunning blue eyes of his, never hear his optimistic "I know what we're gonna do today!"

Perhaps she would, in whatever comes after death. She could almost hear him now…

"Ferb, its gotta work! She can't die!" As she continued to fade, she felt a tug, pulling her back into the painful world. As she resisted, she wondered where she had heard Phineas say that before.

Suddenly, standing before her, was Phineas. "Isabella, you can't die! I- I love you!" He pulled her frail body close and kissed her! She tried to return it, but she was unable to move.

Then he was gone, like he had never been. But if he had come and gone like that, none of this could be real.

Upon the realization that this was a dream, she felt her heart heal and she forced herself to awaken.

* * *

><p>The darkness around Isabella dissipated and color returned to her to her skin. Then, with a gasp, she woke up.<p>

"Isabella!" Phineas had his arms around her at once, much to her surprise.

"Phineas, wha- what are you doing? What happened?"

Phineas pulled back, but kept his arms around her. "You were trapped in a nightmare. It was so bad that you started to die."

Isabella felt faint as she realized she had nearly died because she thought she had lost Phineas. "But, how did- Why didn't I-"

Ferb come up beside the two and laid a hand on her shoulder. "We built something to wake you up."

Isabella grabbed both the boys into a large hug. "Thank you guys!"

The three remained in the hug until Candace came rushing in the backyard. "Okay, you two, I know-" She stopped as she witnessed the hug. "What did I miss?"

The three separated and Isabella was the first to speak up. "I was stuck in a nightmare and they built a machine that woke me up!"

Candace blinked, opened her mouth, blinked again, then said, "I guess… I'll let you off the hook. This time." With that, she turned around and walked inside.

Isabella turned to Phineas. "I should probably go. My mom will be wondering why I'm taking so long. I'll see you tomorrow!" With a wave, she walked out of the backyard.

* * *

><p>Once Isabella woke up, Perry slipped away. He went back into his lair where, to his surprise, he saw both Carl and Doof on the screen.<p>

"So you're telling me my –Inator zapped a little girl?"

"Well, that's what our security footage shows." They failed to notice Perry watching them.

Doof put a hand thoughtfully on his chin. "You know, I can't say that I like the idea of a child getting hit by my –Inators. At least, by one that I didn't mean for children. I mean, I may be evil, but I'm not cruel."

Perry blinked in surprise and the slight movement alerted his presence to the two humans.

"Perry the Platypus! Hey, I'm sorry about today. I think, for a while, I'm going to focus my evil in a different direction. At least, until I know my –Inators do only what I want them to. You know, since I apparently nearly killed a little girl by accident."

Perry smiled slightly and chattered. It was great to see his nemesis wasn't all that bad.

* * *

><p>After Isabella left, Phineas and Ferb grabbed the dream reader and placed it in storage. "Now, what about the other machine, Ferb? I mean, that hunk of junk didn't even work!"<p>

Ferb grinned at his brother. When Phineas looked to see Ferb's answer, he noticed the grin.

"Ferb! You won't tell her, will you? I want to tell her myself."

Ferb's grin widened, but he nodded. Then he grabbed one side of the machine and began dragging it to the trash can.

Phineas ran to help him out, but he was only partially paying attention. After all, after what he had done, Isabella wouldn't leave his mind. He knew he would have to be the one to tell her.

He also knew it would have to be sooner rather than later, if not for her sake, then for his own. He had realized he loved her. He couldn't believe it had taken a near death experience to realize it, but realize it he had.

And he had acted on it. He knew that Ferb would probably never let him live it down, but he didn't care. After all, it had saved her. Their inventing skills had failed them, but this simple act had saved her.

It seemed a bit farfetched, but the whole situation was hardly normal. One act had saved her. One act had shown his love. It had done all that and more.

Who knew one kiss could do so much?

* * *

><p><strong>There we go. Yes, I am ending it on that note. I will be posting this as complete, but I might make an alternate, Shakespearean ending. It depends on if I get enough reviews, or I just feel like it. Hope you enjoyed the story!<br>**


	8. Alternate Ending

**Author's Note: Well, I felt that enough people have asked for this. It does seem to be the same at first, but it takes a very different turn...**

* * *

><p>Perry watched the screen with an intensity he usually reserved for his missions. Like everyone else in Danville, he knew of Isabella's crush. He was certain that she would end up being Isabella Flynn one day. That is, if she survived the effects of the Nightmare-Inator. With the boys on the job, he told himself, she would be fine.<p>

He focused on the screen. His gaze turned to one of horror as he watched Isabella impale herself on a sword. That's when what remained of the scene began to fade. With alarm, he chattered as loudly as he could.

Phineas instantly was at Isabella's side. "Is she-?"

Perry chattered again, hoping the boys had the machine complete.

"Ferb, is it done? Isabella is fading, fast!"

Ferb attached a covering to the machine as he answered: "It's finished. But I don't know if it will work. We've never done anything like this before and I was going to run some tests before-"

"Ferb, we don't have time for tests!"

"I KNOW!" Phineas hesitated and Ferb sighed. "Sorry bro. I'm worried about her to. She's my friend, too, remember?"

Phineas nodded. With an unspoken message, the two brothers moved the machine closer to Isabella and hooked her up.

"Ready, Phineas?" Phineas nodded again and Ferb pulled the switch.

* * *

><p><em>Isabella felt her life leaving her through the hole that her heart had left behind. Everything faded to black. She could hear, not see, her life flying by her. "Hey Phineas!" "Thanks, Isabella!" "I reckon herding cattle ain't for city folk." "You realize there's an 'M' in 'Time Machine?'" "You had me at our grandchildren…" "Don't be silly, Isabella! I took into account your cuteness…" "I need a new pencil…" "Isabella, you're the best!"<em>

_More and more voices flashed in and out of her mind, but one remained; Phineas. And now he was gone. She would never again gaze into those stunning blue eyes of his, never hear his optimistic "I know what we're gonna do today!"_

_Perhaps she would, in whatever comes after death. She could almost hear him now…_

_"Ferb, its gotta work! She can't die!" As she continued to fade, she felt a tug, pulling her back into the painful world. As she resisted, she wondered where she had heard Phineas say that before._

_Suddenly, standing before her, was Phineas. "Isabella, you can't die! I- I love you!" He pulled her frail body close and kissed her! She tried to return it, but she was unable to move._

_Then he was gone, like he had never been. _

_She felt sorrow pour through the hole where her heart had been. Even as she faded, she dreamed of him. _

_She closed her eyes, and let the last of her life flow from her heart._

* * *

><p>The darkness around Isabella faded, but the paleness of her skin failed to disappear. As the last of the darkness vanished, Isabella released one final breath, almost sounding like a sigh of contentment.<p>

"Isabella!" He grabbed her hand, only to find it ice cold, despite the warmth of the day.

"No, no! NO!" The red-headed inventor collapsed on Isabella's corpse, sobbing.

Ferb stood near their machine, his stoic face now one of shock. He failed to even blink as tears began to well up in his eyes.

Even Perry, as his normal chatter broke, began to cry.

Isabella was dead.

They had failed.

* * *

><p>They were still in that position when their parents returned home. They immediately called for an ambulance, but it was far too late.<p>

No one else knew why Isabella died, but neither did they believe Phineas and Ferb.

After all, how could a simple dream kill such a cheerful girl?

* * *

><p>The funeral was simple, and almost everyone in Danville attended. After all, Isabella was almost as well known as Phineas and Ferb. Tears flowed freely throughout the services, yet none flowed as freely as those belonging to Phineas Flynn.<p>

What was unknown to everyone but Ferb and Perry was the fact that when the machine had failed, he had tried something that no one in his right mind would believe to have worked. He had kissed her. He had told her he loved her, hoping it would bring her back to him, and it had failed.

He had just discovered love, someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, only to lose her within minutes.

As he watched the casket lowered into the ground, something broke in his mind. He turned and ran all the way home.

When his family finally returned home, not one could get a response from him.

* * *

><p>Weeks passed, with little change. Phineas stayed in his bed unless he absolutely had to move.<p>

His friends, after days of no response, finally gave up on him. His family continued to try half-heartedly.

Ferb was the only one who never gave up. He was the only one who continued to look for that cheerful boy that never let impossibility beat him.

Until one fateful day…

* * *

><p>Ferb returned to their room, as he continued to share a room with Phineas. This time, however, he was greeted by a mumbling sound.<p>

He quickly ran to the side of his brother's bed, hoping that this was the start of his recovery.

He listened closely:

"Why, Isabella? You had to have realized I loved you."

Ferb hung his head. Phineas was still trapped by Isabella's death.

"What? You really thought I was dead? But it's the other way around!"

That caught Ferb's attention. Who was his brother talking to now?

"You mean we can be together? But how? You'll never come back!"

Ferb's heart broke as he realized what had happened. Phineas wasn't mourning. He was mad. He no longer saw the living, only the dead.

"That's all I have to do? Does it hurt?"

Ferb snapped his head toward his brother's face. His brother was grinning. But if all he wanted was Isabella, then why…

"I'll see you soon, Isabella! I promise!" Phineas leapt off the bed and ran for the door.

Ferb was taken completely off guard. See Isabella-? Ferb suddenly knew what Phineas was going to do. Even if his brother was mad, he wouldn't let him do that!

Ferb ran him down and managed to tackle him in front of the stairway.

"Ferb," his father began, "what is that-" As his father's face appeared at the bottom of the stairs, his face turned to the utmost shock. "What's happening Ferb?"

"Dad! Phineas is insane! He's trying to kill himself!" His father disappeared, but Ferb could hear him on the phone. He struggled to keep Phineas from moving.

"Ferb, let me go! I promised her!"

Ferb shook his head, not trusting himself to speak. Tears ran down his face and everything became a blur…

He recalled seeing doctors in white coats take Phineas from his grasp…

Phineas sobbing in his straightjacket, "I promised her, Ferb. Why did you stop me?" as the doctors hauled him out the door…

His parents crying as Phineas was taken away, almost as surely as Isabella was gone…

He was lying on his bed, his mind still not comprehending the past hour. His last words had condemned his brother to a life in a padded cell. His last words…

* * *

><p>A week later and their first visit to see Phineas. He stared off into one corner of the cell, unaware of his family standing on the other side of the door. He was chattering on and on to the girl that only he could see, promising to be with her as soon as he could.<p>

Ferb stood there in silence, even as more tears streamed down his face. He had not spoken since he had condemned his brother.

Now he realized his brother was dead.

He had died with a midsummer morn's nightmare.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, there it is. I don't know if I should ask if you enjoyed it. I know that I nearly cried while writing it...<strong>

**Anyway, please review!**


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